A differential gear is a device for generating a difference in rotational speed between left and right wheels. There may be a case where it is necessary not to provide a difference in rotational speed between left and right wheels depending on a traveling state. In this case, a mechanism which regulates the differential gear (hereinafter referred to as a differential lock mechanism) is attached to the differential gear. Various proposals have been made with respect to such a differential gear provided with a differential lock mechanism (see JP-A-2011-117511 (FIG. 3), for example).
As shown in FIG. 3 of JP-A-2011-117511, a fork member is tilted by a lever member indicated by an imaginary line, and a lock pin is inserted into pin holes with the fork member. As a result, an output-side cam is integrally joined to a ring gear thus establishing a differential locked state. That is, by operating the lever member by a manipulator, it is possible to perform switching of a drive mode as represented by switching between lock (differential lock) and unlock (release of differential lock) in a differential gear.
Aside from a differential lock during traveling, there has been a demand for a differential gear which is brought into a locked state even during parking. In this case, it is necessary to provide a manipulator for changing over a drive mode and a manipulator for parking.
Accordingly, it is necessary to provide the structure where a cable is extended from the drive mode manipulator and the cable is mechanically connected to a differential lock mechanism. A cable is also extended from the manipulator for parking and the cable is mechanically connected to the differential lock mechanism. Since the structure has two connection portions, there is a tendency for the structure of a differential gear provided with a differential lock mechanism to become complicated and large.
However, amidst a demand for the miniaturization of a vehicle, there has been also a demand for miniaturization of a differential gear provided with a differential lock mechanism.